New year greetings

Belated greetings sorry I have been missing. Happy New Year to everyone and I hope this new year brings you creativity, joy and good health.

Have been pretty busy but not sure what with. Two months plus has been lost to viruses. Starting just days after the flu injection for both of us and suspiciously like flu they didn't want to leave us. We only have the flu jab because Mr Mogs oncologist strongly suggested he should as his immune system is now challenged. But after this two months neither of us will be having it again. We both had antibiotics, 3 lots for me and steroids - 1 lot for Mr Mog but both still have snuffles. Mr Mog also had to go and see doctor as he wasn't too well and has now had chest X-ray which was clear and is awaiting ECG and bloods this Friday. But we are both enjoying each day although a spell of proper winter weather would be much appreciated.

Oh and I am now the recipient of my pension today;)

 I have been playing and made a new Goddess Altar.

I have also been spinning

Little altars everywhere

I read a book with the above title many moons ago .The book did nothing for me but the title obviously stuck:)

We have been having an autumnal clear out and move round and after doing this the above phrase came into mind. I hadn't realised how many little altars there were around the house.

 All hold things of meaning to me or us. The amethyst in here given by a friend who passed away a few years ago and the goddess pendant from the same person. The bowl was from a craft exchange some years ago and holds affirmation cards from another friend.

 The goddess in here lost her arms in accidents a long time ago but is no less dear to me. Mr Mog needle felted the sheep for me.

 The shrines were made by me a long while ago and the goddess came from a charity shop and I painted her. The pledge stick was made for me by Mr Mog.

 Hares are special to me and I love this set of oracle cards from Hannah Willow

 Some of my  tarot packs.

 I made this nest from some of my hand dyed and unspun fibres, it was going to be a bowl but when I added the magpie card it became a nest.

 gifts and wheels, what more could you want:)

 I purchased this last year at Mogfest from a very creative friend.

 Yet more birds watching over the Buddha figure

 this altar holds my card a day and items made for me in the main by Mr Mog or gifted by friends

 Wood I love

 This is our incense cupboard that the Buddha guards, full of oils and ingredients for making incense. open the doors and the smell is out of this world

 Transformation butterfly

Colour lifts my spirits.

Not all were set up as altars but as I looked around I realised that they were because they reflect us both  spiritually and  creatively .

Of full moons and mystery

Yesterday was the full moon and what a moon it was.
We were in Cumbria visiting the aged parent and began the journey home just before sunset. We were coming back to the motorway over the hills and saw the sunset in all its technicolour glory.

Impossible to take pictures of it as firstly it was far too bright, secondly too busy and thirdly it was one of those views that were to be treasured but not captured. Do you know what I mean?
Sometimes it is great to take lots of photos of the sky and sometimes they are almost uncapturable if there is such a word.

A sacred experience to be appreciated on more than 1 level.

But the moon I did try to photograph, not very successfully I am afraid. When she first rose above Caldbeck fell she was so large and so pale it took me quite by surprise. As our journey continued she became more silvery and more beautiful by the moment.


The sky was tinted lilac around her and it was incredibly cold up there on the fell road.
We could almost touch her it seemed, save for the constant traffic speeding past us unaware of the beauty of the dusk.
How could you miss this?
Or indeed this with the snow coating the distant peaks of the Pennines.
The moon lit our way home as the sky darkened and the next pictures were as we arrived safely chez moggie.


I never tire of the moon in all her phases, they all speak to the inner child, encouraging and protecting. Giving me the courage to create and to enjoy each day what ever it brings.

A new Goddess figure came into our home recently.
She calls herself Maiaa Gaiaa. Why I don't know but no doubt the answer will make itself clear sometime. As soon as I saw her the name came into my mind so may I present Maiaa Gaiaa?

We found her in our local charity shop where she was standing on a shelf awaiting a new home.
A few, very few, of her beads are missing otherwise she is perfect as you can see.
She measures approx 18 inches high and carries an air of reassurance and protection.She looks as if she has always been here.
I am very pleased that the tiny amount of damage meant someone sent her on her way to a new home.
I will repair the little damage and she will be as good as new.

I promised you knitting.

I promised you knitting so here goes.
The autumn greenery jacket is finished. Here you see it taking a little early evening sun with the very berry elsewhere jacket.

I really love the colours in this despite them not being what I set out to dye. I had it in mind to dye autumn greenery as a more faded and darker green. Seemed the dyeing fairy had other ideas. That notwithstanding I love it and the fit is perfect.
The colours blend yet don't which is just what I wanted. Why have matching sleeves and fronts if you don't have to?
This was going to be Autumn greenery Elsewhere jacket as I said but the goddess had other ideas as I dyed the yarn.
What was going to be faded greens going darker and more fragile became spring greens. The beauty of the trees awakening and unfurling their leaves. No two trees have the same shades of green so my jacket reflects all the green spectrum.
Sometimes the Goddess takes a hand. Autumn's glory has within it Spring's awakening.
It comes from there via the nurturing touch of winter's earth.
Could be her way of reminding me once more that the wheel is always turning.
We live on a spiral so we are always moving onwards and outwards.
From the faded ideas and completed projects can grow new plans, new dreams and new hopes.
The trick is to move with the energy not at right angles to it.
To be open to growth at the right time and to know when to be quiet and let the seeds germinate.
Sometimes I feel I miss the messages. My ears aren't tuned in or I hear and don't decipher the words.
Awareness can be lost in the day to day things if I am not in the now.

I did mention I wanted to knit another Elsewhere jacket. This will be my Winter Blues jacket.
Dyed in honour of the winter Solstice and the dark velvet nights of that portion of the wheel.

What do you think? Have I captured it do you think? This time I was listening.

Then I was out of dyed aran to start another so had to have something on the needles.

Here you see the sunny day socks. These are for me to wear of an evening while sitting reading, knitting or the like. I have very bad circulation and always feel cold so these will be ideal for winter. The yarn is some double knit alpaca merino I dyed some months back.
Very speedy knit as it is double knit yarn. Very warm also.


There has also been spinning and here you see the latest yarn off the bobbins


Fibre was from limegreenjelly and spun beautifully for this newbie. Didn't half leech a lot of colour when the yarn was set though. The water was vivid green:(
I'm very pleased with this, it is still thick and thin but it is getting better I think.

Imbolc Brigid in the blogosphere poetry slam

Happy Imbolc or Candlemas. May this turn of the wheel bring Brighid's creativity into your life.

For this day I am joining what will hopefully be many more bloggers putting a poem on their blog in honour of Imbolc and Brighid.I'm posting early as I may be away for a couple of days. We shall see what the weather brings.

WHAT: A Bloggers (Silent) Poetry Reading

WHEN: Anytime February 2, 2009

WHERE: Your blog

WHY: To celebrate the Feast of Brigid, aka Groundhog Day

HOW: Select a poem you like - by a favourite poet or one of your own - to post February 2nd.

RSVP: If you plan to publish, feel free to leave a comment and link on this post. Last year when the call went out there was more poetry in cyberspace than I could keep track of. So, link to whoever you hear about this from and a mighty web of poetry will be spun. Reya and Deborah have sent this call out as they have for the previous 3 years.

Feel free to pass this invitation on to any and all bloggers.
I dressed my altar in honour of the festival and made Brighid's bed using some mohair curls from a friend's goat. doesn't she look cosy there? I made the doll some years ago for Imbolc and it seemed right to place her on the altar this year. I always love to have fresh bulbs for the day. The crocus BTW now have 6 flowers on them,overnight. For me bulbs are a good representation of this time. We plant seeds now and the ground awakens for them. The Goddess is stirring and calling us out of our meditative dark saying "wake up, look around it is almost Spring"


My poem is in honour of Brighid who shares her creativity with all who ask.

BRIGHID
As winter ebbs and the days grow longer
we see light ahead.
The Goddess stirs within the ground
her sleep almost done.
She awaits the call from the Green Lord
as he makes her bower ready

We can make our bower ready for her also
If we ask she will willingly share herself
But it is a two way street
we have to be prepared to give also
(c) ambermoggie Imbolc 2009

Then a poem I've always loved.

The Listeners

by Walter De La Mare

‘Is there anybody there?’ said the Traveller,

Knocking on the moonlit door;

And his horse in the silence champed the grasses

Of the forest’s ferny floor:

And a bird flew up out of the turret,

Above the Traveller’s head:

And he smote upon the door again a second time;

‘Is there anybody there?’ he said.

But no one descended to the Traveller;

No head from the leaf-fringed sill

Leaned over and looked into his grey eyes,

Where he stood perplexed and still.

But only a host of phantom listeners

That dwelt in the lone house then

Stood listening in the quiet of the moonlight

To that voice from the world of men:

Stood thronging the faint moonbeams on the dark stair,

That goes down to the empty hall,

Hearkening in an air stirred and shaken

By the lonely Traveller’s call.

And he felt in his heart their strangeness,

Their stillness answering his cry,

While his horse moved, cropping the dark turf,

’Neath the starred and leafy sky;

For he suddenly smote on the door, even

Louder, and lifted his head:—

‘Tell them I came, and no one answered,

That I kept my word,’ he said.

Never the least stir made the listeners,

Though every word he spake

Fell echoing through the shadowiness of the still house

From the one man left awake:

Ay, they heard his foot upon the stirrup,

And the sound of iron on stone,

And how the silence surged softly backward,

When the plunging hoofs were gone.

I must also post a wonderful axiom that I read today on a page about Rumer Godden. It was her favourite Indian proverb and seems appropriate to publish on today of all days.

"everyone is a house with four rooms, a physical, a mental, an emotional and a spiritual. Most of us tend to live in one room most of the time but unless we go into every room every day, even if only to keep it aired, we are not a complete person".

Thanks go to Cottage smallholder for reminding me of her:)
Oh and to celebrate Imbolc properly the earth is wearing a gown of snow here in North west England

The muse came calling:)

The muse came calling this afternoon and she didn't bring her knitting needles surprisingly.
I had been speaking with a friend on rav and she asked me if I'd make HER friend an elemental similar to the one I made her as she had fallen in love with it. I agreed with no date set but as we all know the muse calls at a time that suits her. It was a case of finding the ingredients for a goddess in greens and turquoise. As you know I can't make 2 exactly the same so I am hoping that this will hit the spot:) Her name is Joy. Mr Mog thought she didn't look quite right in the first photo so he stood her up and she does look better.
Now the thing is that Joy didn't want to be alone while it was time to fly to her new home, so Hope was born:) Hope doesn't have a home yet, poor thing but I am sure she will find one sometime.
They are both made of my hand painted felt and I love them both, it will be sad to see them go but I know they will be going to good homes.